the united states should be at the head of a growing call of democratic nations, always expanding the frontiers of freedom and prosperity and progress. that is who we are as americans. it really is in our dna. that is what makes us such an exceptional country. so i thank all of you as a look around this room -- i see a lot of familiar faces of people who have been on the front lines of helping to define, examine, and practice american foreign policy and national security policy for many years. we need you to keep doing what you are doing, to keep thinking out of the box. in the years ahead, we will need all the wisdom and perspective that we can possibly gather, but i am absolutely confident that our nation has what it takes to continue leading the world, no matter what comes our way. with your help and the help of so many others are around our country and like-minded people around the world, america will remain the greatest force for peace and progress the world has ever known, and the world will understand and work with us to move toward the kind of future that we all deserve. thank